U.S. News analyzed 100 cities in the United States to find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each city, as well as the value of living there and people's desire to live there. Wichita ranks as #58 due to high ratings in Value and Quality of Life.

Yearning for a place where you can spend more time lounging in your backyard and less time fighting traffic? Wichita is the spot for you. A 2016 LawnStarter study indicates commuters in the Wichita metro area are the least stressed among the country’s largest metro areas.

SmartAsset looked at 80 of the largest U.S. cities and ranked each city after adding up the costs that a new company would cover in its first year of operation. Wichita took the #2 spot, thanks to low leasing rates and the abundance of available resources for entrepreneurs.

A domestic travel trend is emerging, and Americans are seeking out less crowded and more budget-friendly destinations. Trivago rates Wichita the city with the third best value, based on the annual average price of a standard double room and the city’s average hotel rating.

For college students with the ability to relocate after graduation, choosing the right place to live can go a long way toward alleviating problems like fluctuating job markets and student loan debt. Wichita ranks #10 due to low cost of living and employers eager to hire recent grads.

Brookings Institution ranked Wichita third on their list of advanced industry hotspots, or R&D- and STEM-worker intensive industries. These industries—which range from automotive and aerospace manufacturing to energy activities to digital services like computer system design and software—play an outsized role in powering regional and national economic success.

Wichita loves entrepreneurs. Using 13 unique metrics, ranging from 5-year survival rate and the affordability of office space to the educational attainment of the local labor force, this study ranks us in the top 20 best cities to start a business.

Wichita ranks in the top 25 percent for small-business growth in U.S. cities according to The Business Journals blog On Numbers. Wichita ranks Number 23 in the 2013 rankings of small-business vitality among the nation's 102 major metropolitan areas.

#13 for Military Friendly Cities in 2013

The Military Friendly Cities® list measures the number of job openings at Military Friendly Employers®, the number of Military Friendly School® campuses and the number of registered veteran-owned businesses located within the region. It also takes into account cost of living and unemployment rate. In 2013 , Wichita ranked 13th out of 50 cities on this list.

#22 in Metro Areas for Science, Tech, Engineering and Math Jobs in 2013

A 2013 study ranked Wichita 22nd among the 100 largest metropolitan areas for the percentage of jobs it has that involve science, technology, engineering or math. The study by the Brookings Institution showed that the Wichita metro area had 56,100 such jobs, or 21.3 percent of all local jobs. These jobs, called STEM jobs, cover a range of occupations, from aircraft engineers to health technicians, according to the study. In recent years, a great deal of attention has been paid to the economic value of STEM jobs to both individuals holding them and the country as a whole.

The average annual pay in the Wichita area for STEM jobs is $60,249, compared to $33,827 for non-STEM jobs, according to the study’s authors.

University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita ranks sixth for family practice physicians

A 2013 study by the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Academic Medicine magazine ranked the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita sixth in the country for producing family practice physicians. Overall, the U.S. has a shortage of family physicians, and so do many rural areas of Kansas.The study examined 759 medical residency sites to see where their graduates were practicing three to five years after residency. Between 2006 and 2008, 233 doctors graduated from a KU School of Medicine–Wichita residency program, and about 46 percent went on to practice primary care. Of those 233, 46 were in rural areas. read more>

Area Development gives Kansas Gold Shovel for 2012 economic development

Area Development, the leading publication covering site selection and facility planning, named Kansas as one of four states awarded the Gold Shovel in recognition of projects undertaken in 2012 creating a significant number of high-value-added new jobs as well as investment. The Gold Shovels are presented annually to states that have achieved the most success in terms of new job creation and economic impact.

Forbes Ranks Wichita #6 Best-Bang-For-The-Buck Cities in 2009

Locating a desirable spot to settle down means something quite different today than it did just three years ago. That's when Americans flocked to coastal and Sun Belt cities like Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas, where properties were easy to acquire and home values were expected to noticeably appreciate.

Now, with home prices nationwide down 29% from their 2006 peak, according to Case Schiller, areas that were left behind during the home-building and home-buying craze suddenly look more attractive. Buying an affordable home in a city with a stable housing market, among other pluses like reasonable property taxes and minimal travel time to work, is the new definition of bang for the buck. read more >

Section Highlights:

2016 Leadership Academy class to be announced on August 5.

Chamber names 2016 Small Business of the year recipients. See videos highlighting the 10 finalists on our YouTube Channel.